


Anniversaries

by Ray_Writes



Series: Tumblr Prompts [57]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Laurel Lance Lives, Sobriety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25450075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ray_Writes/pseuds/Ray_Writes
Summary: Three years, and the changes that come with them.
Relationships: Nyssa al Ghul/Laurel Lance
Series: Tumblr Prompts [57]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/763443
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25





	Anniversaries

**Author's Note:**

  * For [missourielephant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/missourielephant/gifts).



> Hello! I was prompted a while back to do something with Laurel's sobriety anniversary with a Lauryssa happy ending, so obviously disregard anything and everything that follows that last five minutes of "Eleven-Fifty-Nine". Arrow doesn't really establish an official date for Laurel's sobriety anniversary, but I imagine it would fall somewhere around episodes 14 and 15 of each season, give or take a few days, so that's what's reflected here. This came out kind of short, but I hope it is also sweet. Thanks for reading, and please enjoy!

The first year, it was only the chip she got at AA that reminded her of the date. One year sober. Despite all the odds, despite everything else in her life being a mess, she had done it.

Laurel didn’t have any kind of celebration planned for it, much less anyone to celebrate with. Considering how Oliver had just thrown her addiction troubles in her face only last week, she had no desire to bring it up to him. Her father had gone in the inverse of her progress, hitting the bottle and hating her exactly the same as before Sara had ever come home.

He handed her a bottle over her sister’s grave on the anniversary of her sobriety, so Laurel celebrated by pouring it out into the ground. Then she went home to her empty apartment and told herself the pain would just have to fade away with time.

\---

The second year, she didn’t have time to go to AA since they were in the middle of stopping a war in the League erupting onto their streets. Laurel just managed to remember the date, though, and so when all was said and done, she asked Nyssa if she had any plans.

“Not exactly,” her friend answered. “Why?”

Laurel shrugged. “I thought I’d grab a cake when we get back into Star. The League’s gone, Thea’s cured and Malcolm lost a hand if he couldn’t lose his life. That’s a step up from my last anniversary.”

Nyssa’s eyebrows rose as her look seemed to sharpen in surprise. “I was unaware you had an anniversary. Who…?” She trailed off as Laurel shook her head with a smile.

“It’s not a relationship. Not with anyone but myself, I guess. I’ve been sober for two years.”

“I see. That is impressive, but I am afraid I must decline,” Nyssa said, her lips turning down in regret. “With the League disbanded, I will need time to determine the path my life will now take.”

“Right, that’s a pretty huge thing,” Laurel agreed. “If you do need somewhere to stay, though, my door’s open. Even for a little while.”

“You are too generous, Laurel. I believe I am correct in saying your space for guests is already taken up.”

“Yeah, well,” she said. “We could make it work. I’m not opposed to sharing.”

“Nor am I,” Nyssa replies softly, a smirk on her lips that caused Laurel’s insides to squirm about, not entirely unpleasantly. “But your teammates appear to be ready to leave. I shall see you again. Take care, my friend.”

“You too,” Laurel told her warmly. She wasn’t too upset Nyssa had refused her offer. She needed time to figure out who she was and what she wanted to be now without the League having a hold on her.

When she got home with cupcakes from the supermarket, seeing as all the bakeries were already closed, Thea dug in with enthusiasm, not even questioning their appearance. Laurel didn’t bother to bring it up. It was enough just to have a nice night in with her friend.

\---

The third year, she was busy almost the entire day. She and Oliver were quickly getting on the City Council’s nerves with the various reforms they kept proposing and pushing for, but if anything it kept life interesting.

Laurel didn’t even wait for her front door to fully close behind her before she started taking off her work heels? “Nyssa? You in?”

After her near-death at Darhk’s hand, her friend had elected to return to Star City in a more permanent capacity. Once Thea had moved into the mayor’s residence to keep Ollie company, and had only been natural for Nyssa to take the vacated second bedroom. She had been instrumental in Laurel working herself back up to full strength of not better throughout her recovery.

Laurel never asked how long Nyssa planned to stay. Truthfully, she didn’t want to know if it would end.

“I am here,” Nyssa stayed in answer to her question, though when Laurel rounded the corner into the sitting room she froze in surprise.

A small cake sat on a platter on her coffee table. It looked to be chocolate with raspberries topping the ganache. It the soft light of a single lamp and the candles in her fireplace, it looked absolutely delicious.

Nyssa was sitting patiently on the couch, waiting for Laurel to say something. She finally did, asking, “What’s this for?”

“A year ago, you told me this was an anniversary of sorts and invited me to celebrate it with you,” Nyssa reminded her. “I did not accept because I believed I needed to be on my own, having dissolved the League and been left behind by Sara as she pursued her own path.” Nyssa’s gaze, which had drifted towards the window, returned to Laurel as she continued, “That decision nearly cost me your friendship, had we lost you.”

“That wouldn’t have been your fault,” Laurel told her.

“Nevertheless, it showed me that I should not take for granted the time I could be spending with you.”

“Well, I’m glad. Should I get plates?”

They each had one piece of the cake. There was probably enough for them to have dessert the next two nights, which Laurel certainly wasn’t going to say no to. She packed the rest of the cake away and returned to the sitting room.

Licking her lips to get the last of the chocolate taste, she noticed Nyssa watching her with something like nerves.

“Something the matter?”

Her friend blinked. “No. I was merely waiting to give you something.”

“You got me a present?” Laurel felt a little overwhelmed with all the attention, considering the lack of acknowledgement from everyone else in her life the last two years. That feeling only intensified as Nyssa withdrew a long, thin box and crossed the room to give it to her.

Laurel opened the box to find a necklace on a fine silver chain. The pendant was a purple gemstone. “Is this amethyst?”

Nyssa nodded, her eyes on the necklace rather than on Laurel. “It is a traditional symbol of sobriety. I thought you might like it.”

“I love it,” she said, a little breathless as Nyssa’s eyes flicked up to meet hers at the words. Laurel swallowed, suddenly very aware of how close she was standing to her friend. She could feel Nyssa’s breath on her face. “I’ll, um, I’ll put it on right now.”

Laurel found her fingers shaking slightly as she lifted the necklace from the box and tried to open the catch on the end of the chain.

“Allow me,” Nyssa softly requested. She took the necklace and walked around behind Laurel. Thanks to her training, she was very aware of Nyssa’s warm presence just behind her and sucked in a breath when Nyssa gently brushed her hair to one side of her neck. Laurel looked back as the necklace settled, pendant resting over her chest, and met Nyssa’s eyes again.

There was the slightest pause where either of them could have pulled back, but instead they both leaned in, lips meeting in a soft brush against each other. Laurel slowly turned on the spot to bring the rest of her body in line as she closed her eyes and met Nyssa’s lips again. This time, she felt surer and greedier, and Nyssa’s arm winding around her waist to bring them flush together seemed to indicate the same.

One thing was for certain; she was never going to forget her anniversary again.


End file.
